Sunday 11 April 2010 21.05 EDT
First published on Sunday 11 April 2010 21.05 EDT

A car bomb exploded early this morning on the outskirts of Belfast, timed to coincide with the transfer of power as the Stormont parliament took over judicial and policing powers at midnight. Northern Ireland now has its first justice minister in nearly four decades.

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: "A device has exploded in a vehicle at the rear of Palace Barracks, Holywood. The explosion occurred at approximately 12.24am. The investigation in ongoing, and there are no further details at this stage."

It was reported that one person was injured in the blast.

Police sources said the bomb was taken to the barracks in a hijacked taxi after the cab driver's family was held hostage.

It is understood that homes around the army base, north east of Belfast, were being evacuated as the bomb went off, and that some families are staying overnight in a nearby community centre.

Alliance Party deputy leader Naomi Long said: "I would utterly condemn any such attack and am sure that the vast majority of people from across our community are sickened by the actions of people who seem intent on dragging Northern Ireland back into the past.

"It is vital that all local politicians unite to condemn this attack and redouble our efforts to create stable political structures and a peaceful society.

"I would also appeal for anyone with information about this incident to contact the police so that those behind the attack can be apprehended."

The latest incident comes after a car bomb in Newry on 22 February, and a mortar attack a few days before in the village of Keady, county Armagh.

Later today David Ford, the leader of the centrist Alliance party, is expected to receive the backing of the two main parties in the assembly and become the head of the new justice ministry.

But his election will be controversial because, under the Hillsborough accord, Sinn Féin will support the Alliance leader rather than a fellow nationalist from the SDLP. Under the original parliamentary rules set up following the 1998 Good Friday agreement, devolved government departments are handed out to parties on a rotation basis. If the parties stuck to these old rules, the SDLP would be next to nominate and its North Belfast assembly member, Alban Magennis, would be entitled to become justice minister.

The SDLP, while welcoming the transfer of the powers today, described the compromise as a sop to unionism. Alex Attwood, its policing spokesman, said: "The DUP and Sinn Féin have recreated the old, worn-out politics by treating nationalists as less than equal and given unionism a privileged place."

The Alliance party defended its decision to sign up to the Sinn Féin-DUP compromise Stephen Farry, Alliance's justice spokesman, said: "We have not been chased this post for the sake of ministerial office but instead have sought assurances around the capacity to deliver ... Community safety, accessible and speedier justice, and supporting a shared future are all key objectives for Alliance.

"The cross-community vote in the assembly offers greater legitimacy for any minister. Alliance's decision to potentially go into government will not change the vision, values and policies of the party one bit," Farry said.

Transferring policing and justice powers from London to Belfast will also create a new Northern Ireland attorney general.

These powers were taken away from Northern Ireland in 1972 after the government in London prorogued Stormont during what was the bloodiest year of the Troubles. The then ministry of home affairs had been under the control of the unionist regime, which nationalists regarded as biased against them.